The Kidnapping Of Tommy Paris
by Diane Klepper
Summary: After a nightmare, Tom tells B'Elanna what happened to him after he was kjidnapped when he was nine years old.


The Kidnapping Of Tommy Paris  
  
By Diane Klepper  
  
(Author's Note: This story is set during the seventh season after the episode "Lineage".)  
  
B'Elanna Torres heard moaning from the other side of the bed. She rolled over   
and saw his husband Tom Paris rocking back and forth and moaning in his sleep. She sat   
up in the bed and felt the large bulge in her stomach. Thankfully the baby wasn't kicking   
her, but she knew she couldn't get back to sleep with Tom moaning next to her. She   
shook Tom gently. "Tom wake up."  
  
Tom sat up with a start and shouted, "No…. Cindy."  
  
B'Elanna looked puzzled. "Who is Cindy?"  
  
Tom put his fingers of his right hand through his messy hair. "What?"   
  
B'Elanna starred at Tom for a minute. "You called out the name Cindy in your   
sleep…Who is Cindy?"  
  
Tom who was sleeping in his shorts and undershirt got out of bed and put on his   
blue robe which was laying on the edge of the bed. "B'Elanna it's nothing. Go back to   
sleep. We both have early shifts tomorrow."  
  
"You are dreaming about another woman and I should forget it?"  
  
Tom yelled, "B'Elanna…this has nothing to do with you. Leave me alone."  
  
B'Elanna took a deep breath. "Tom… I've told you more about my past than any   
other person alive. So much of your past you still keep so hidden away. If this marriage is   
going to work we have to be honest with each other."  
  
Tom looked in B'Elanna's eyes. "I know that…but I was always taught that a   
man has to handle his own problems."  
  
B'Elanna frowned at the comment. "Asking for help in not a sign of weakness"  
  
Tom smiled at his wife and took her right hand into his and kissed it. "I don't   
know what I ever did to deserve you." He then kissed her on the lips softly.  
  
B'Elanna smiled at him and pulled away. "Hold it Flyboy…we were in the middle   
of a conversation. I think you are trying to distract me."  
  
Smiling he said, "Would I do that?"  
  
"Yes you would. So who is Cindy?"  
  
Tom took B'Elanna right hand and led her to the coach. They sat down still   
holding hands. "Cindy was the woman who saved my live when I was nine years old.".   
  
  
The hovercar came to a stop in front of the Paris home. Tommy Paris who was   
sitting in the back seat with his best friend Charlie Day picked up his data padds and said   
to Charlie's mother. "Thank you for the ride Mrs. Day."  
  
Mrs. Day smiled at him. "Your welcome Tommy" She glanced at the house   
which appeared to be empty. "Tommy is anyone home? The house looks empty."  
  
"My Mom should be home soon, She had to go to one of her committee meetings   
today. Sometimes she comes home a little after four when the meeting runs long."  
  
"Maybe you should come home with Charlie and me. We could call your Mom   
from our house."  
  
Tom smiled at Mrs. Day. "Don't worry Mrs. Day, I'll be fine until my Mom   
comes home." Tommy then turned to his friend. "Charlie I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
Charlie said, "Bye Tommy…Don't forget we have an Astrophysics test   
tomorrow."  
  
Tommy got out of the hovercar. "Right… I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
Tommy watched as the hovercar left and then he walked to his door. He put his   
data padds in his left hand and started pressing the code to open the front door. Out of the   
corner of his eye Tommy thought he saw someone. All of a sudden Tommy felt someone   
behind him but before he could turn around a hand covered his mouth. He tried to pull   
away from the stranger, but another hand grabbed his waist. Tommy tried to scream but   
only a muffled sound could escape from the hand covering his mouth. He heard a rough   
voice say, "Give him the shot now."  
  
Tommy struggled in the hands of his unknown attackers until he felt a needle   
prick on his neck. All of a sudden he felt very sleepy and before he knew it everything   
went black.  
  
  
Tommy Paris slowly woke up. He opened his eyes but all he saw was blackness.   
He tried to scream but he felt a cloth in his mouth and all he could come out with were   
muffled sounds. He started to panic. Tommy tried to move his hands and feet but they   
were tied together. Tommy felt a cold wall next to his back. Tears started to well up in his   
eyes. I can't cry, he thought to himself. Dad says crying is a sign of weakness.  
  
Tommy remembered something that happened last month when he finished with   
the flight simulator at Starfleet Academy early and he was waiting outside his Dad's   
classroom for the Admiral to take him home. He overheard some of his Dad's lecture.   
Admiral Paris said in a stern voice, "When you find yourself in an unknown and   
dangerous situation, the first thing to do is to try to think back to your last coherent   
memory. That could give you a clue to how you ended up where you are and it may also   
help you come up with a plan to escape."  
  
Tommy remembered the ride in Mrs. Day hovercar. He also remembered walking   
to the front door and pushing in the code when he felt a hand covering his mouth and   
another hand grabbing his waist and then a needle before darkness. Someone grabbed me   
and tied me up, he thought to himself.  
  
All of a sudden Tommy heard a noise that sounded like a door opening and   
closing. He tried to calm down his unsteady breathing and listen. He then heard a voice   
that sounded like the man he heard before say, "Hey Frank…it looks like the kid is   
waking up."  
  
Tommy felt someone lift him from the floor by the front of his shirt. A different   
but scarier voice said, "Listen kid…if you don't give us any trouble you'll be home with   
your Daddy soon…me and him have a business arrangement to make. We have some   
friends who were detained by Starfleet security. As soon as they are let go we will return   
you to your family. For your sake let's hope your old man is reasonable otherwise were   
going have to kill you."  
  
Tommy tried to say something but all that came out from under his gagged mouth   
was incoherent. As Tommy felt himself being lowered to the floor the door opened again   
and a woman's soft voice say, "Frank go easier on him …he's just a scared kid."  
  
"Cindy.. .come on, he's a spoiled Admiral's brat. He's probably been to places   
we have only dreamed about. Besides don't you want to get your brother out of that   
Federation penal colony."  
  
"Of course I want to see Bobby out of that terrible place, but you said we weren't   
going hurt him."  
  
"As long as Admiral Paris agrees to the deal the kid will be home safe and   
sound…that has always been the plan." Frank turned to the other man and said, "Right   
Jack."  
  
Jack smiled and looked at his wrist chronometer. "Right. It's been eight hours.   
His parents must be frantic by now."  
  
As he heard the adults around him talk Tommy tried to loosen the ropes around   
his hands but they were too tight. The struggling made his wrists hurt. I have to be brave.   
Dad would want me to be brave, he thought to himself but he was so scared. He felt more   
tears fall down his cheeks. He tried to will them away but they kept coming down.   
Tommy wanted to scream for his Dad to come save him from the monsters, like he did   
when he was little and had bad dreams at night but the gag in his mouth made screaming   
impossible.  
  
Frank said, "Jack you and Cindy watch the kid, I'm going to a public comm.   
system to contact his parents. I'm also getting some devices to block Starfleet from   
transporting anyone on or off the shuttles. We went to a lot of trouble to get the kid, I'm   
not just letting Starfleet beam him away."  
  
Tommy heard the door open and shut again. He heard what sounded like a shuttle   
taking off and then there was silence. Tommy struggled some more trying to loosen the   
ropes around his wrists but they wouldn't budge.  
  
Tommy heard a chuckle. "Hey kid stop struggling. You are going to end up   
hurting yourself. I tie real good knots. I use to be a boy scout."  
  
Tommy felt some more tears roll down his cheeks.  
  
Cindy starred at the boy with sympathy. "Jack do we have to keep him tied up   
like that? He's only a little boy?"   
  
Jack growled, "Cindy are you going soft on us? Do you want him to escape? If he   
sees us and tells the authorities we will have half of Starfleet on our backs and then you   
could join your brother in the New Zealand penal colony."  
  
Cindy frowned and said softly, "I don't want that…it just that he looks a lot like   
Bobby did at that age."  
  
"Cindy just calm down…It will be over soon."  
  
"Your right…I'm okay. Can I take off his gag and give him a little water? His   
throat must be very dry with the gag in his mouth."  
  
"I don't know…Frank said to keep him quiet."  
  
Cindy gave him a small smile. "Come on Jack…We don't want him to end up   
getting dehydrated. We want him healthy for the exchange."  
  
"Okay but one scream and the gag goes back."  
  
Cindy smiled at him. "Thanks Jack."  
  
Cindy went into the other room and came back with a glass full of water. She   
walked over to where Tommy was sitting and sat on the floor across from him.   
"Thomas…I have some water for you but you have to promise not to scream when I take   
off the gag."  
  
Tommy silently nodded.  
  
Cindy pulled the gag down to his neck and tipped the water glass to Tommy's dry   
lips. The cold liquid felt good going down Tommy's throat but some of it went down his   
chin. He felt the glass being removed from his lips and he hear a voice say, "Thomas not   
so fast. Drink slowly."  
  
The glass returned to his lips and Tommy thirstily drank up more water. When the   
glass was empty it was again taken away from his lips. Then he felt a dry cloth on his   
face and Cindy said, "Just let me wipe up a little of this water. Do you friends call you   
Thomas?"  
  
Quietly he whispered, "My friends call me Tommy."  
  
The woman smiled even though she knew the boy couldn't see her with the   
blindfold covering his eyes. "My friends call me Cindy."  
  
"Please let me go. I won't tell anybody about you. I just want to go home."  
  
With sorrow in her face Cindy said, "Tommy…I'm sorry. We can't send you   
home yet." She saw some tears fall down his cheeks and wiped them away with the cloth.   
"Please Tommy don't cry. You'll be home soon."  
  
Trying really hard to sound brave Tommy said, "I'm not crying. My Dad says   
crying is a sign of weakness."  
  
Cindy smiled at the boy. "Tommy there is nothing wrong with crying if you are   
sad or scared. When my brother Bobby was your age and he was sad or scared I use to   
tell him top think about something that makes him happy. What makes you happy?"  
  
Tommy was quiet for a minute. "Flying makes me happy."  
  
Cindy seemed surprised. "You really fly?"  
  
"I can't fly be myself yet because I'm not old enough, but sometimes my Dad   
takes me up on a shuttle and lets me fly it. When I'm old enough I'm going to join   
Starfleet and become a pilot."  
  
Cindy smiled at the boy and realizes that he sounded calmer when he talked about   
flying. "I'm sure your parents must be proud of you."  
  
"My Dad thinks I should have higher goals. He wants me to go to Command   
School and become an Admiral just like him."  
  
Just then the door opened again and Frank came in. He walked over to where   
Cindy was sitting across from Tommy and said, "Hey kid …Your Dad wants proof we   
have you so your going to record a message to the Admiral and tell him that you are alive   
and well. Frank took out a data padd. "Okay kid start talking."  
  
Tommy licked his lips. "Dad it's Tommy…I'm okay. I know your going to get   
these creeps and rescue me."  
  
Frank yelled, "Shut up kid," and punched Tommy in the mouth. Blood started   
dripping fro Tommy's split lip and Frank stuffed the gag back into his mouth. "You   
better keep your mouth shut if you ever want to see your family again."  
  
Cindy shouted, "Frank he's just a kid. Let me fix his lip."  
  
"No Cindy…I want him gagged at all times. Why don't you go into the other   
room and make me and Jack something to eat."  
  
Jack and Frank watched as Cindy went into the other room. Jack walked over to   
Frank and said, "Frank ….I think we have a problem."  
  
Frank and Jack walked over to the other end of the room to make sure Tommy   
couldn't hear what they were saying. Jack said, "Cindy may be a problem. She's   
becoming too close to the kid."  
  
"We've worked too long and hard on this plan to let Cindy ruin it. We'll watch   
her and if she gets in the way we will take care of her."  
  
  
  
Tommy woke up in total darkness. He wanted to call for his Mom but then he   
realized where he was. His arms and legs felt so stiff, he could barely feel them. His   
mouth was hurting from where Frank had hit him. He listened for the sounds of his   
kidnappers but the room was totally quiet. They must be asleep, he thought. His stomach   
was growling. He hadn't had anything to eat since lunch. All of a sudden he heard what   
sounded like footsteps.  
  
"Tommy its Cindy. I've brought you something to eat." He felt the gag being   
lifted from his mouth and smelled peanut butter.  
  
Cindy whispered, "We have to be really quiet. Frank and Jack are right outside   
putting dampening devices on the shuttles." She lifted the sandwich to Tommy's mouth   
and he slowly took a small bite.  
  
Tommy gave a small smile and said softly, "My Mom always makes me peanut   
butter and jelly sandwiches. It'd one of my favorite foods."  
  
Cindy smiled. "I'm glad you like it."  
  
Tommy took another bite. "Can I go home soon?"  
  
Cindy looked at the bound and frightened boy. "Soon Tommy…I promise."  
  
Just then both Tommy and Cindy heard the door open and Cindy quickly put the   
gag back in Tommy's mouth. "I've go to go now." Cindy threw the rest of the sandwich   
in a nearby grab bin and then waited from Frank and Jack to enter the room.   
  
Cindy turned to Frank, "When are making the exchange?"  
  
Frank looked at his wrist chronometer. "In five hours our friends are supposes to   
be dropped off by Golden Gate Park. I'll pick them up in the first shuttle and then I'll call   
you on our secured channel. You'll then take the kid and drop him off by the school at   
3o'clock. With all the activity there you should have n problem with just blending in with   
the crowd. Then we will all meet up at the scheduled place."  
  
Cindy asked, "What about me and Bobby?"  
  
Frank smiled, "You and Bobby can go where ever you want…just like we agreed   
upon."  
  
Jack was pacing the floor waiting for Frank to call. Cindy sat quietly in a nearby   
chair watching Tommy.  
  
Tommy sat on the floor and tried to break free of the ropes that bound his hands   
together. His wrists felt raw from the rope burns and his eyes burned from unwanted tears   
that he was unable to wipe away. Tommy heard his kidnappers talking and he knew the   
exchange would happen soon. He couldn't wait to go home and see his parents and older   
sisters Kathleen and Moira again. Cindy, even though she was one of his kidnappers   
reminded him of his sisters. She was trying to protect him from Frank and Jack, like   
Kathleen and Moira did with their Dad when the Admiral lost his temper which seemed   
to get more frequent as Tommy grew older and didn't always say "Yes sir" to all his   
father's plans for him. Tommy loved his father dearly, but he often wished that he let him   
be a kid more often and that the Admiral didn't always demand that Tommy spent so   
much time studying.  
  
The communicator on the table beeped and Jack ran over to the table. "Frank   
what's going on?"  
  
Static came over the communicator. "We've been double- crossed. I've stopped   
two shuttles hidden in a nearby garage….they are Starfleet security. Those idiots forgot   
to shave their sideburns."   
  
"Damn it Frank…what do we do?"   
  
"We go to plan B….I'll be there in 10 minutes…Get the kid ready."  
  
Jack put the communicator down. "Come on kid…we are taking a little trip."  
  
Cindy looked surprised. "Plan B…Jack what is going on?"  
  
Jack bended down and flung the still bound Tommy over his right shoulder.   
"Cindy …we've been double-crossed…Starfleet has no intention of letting Bobby and   
the others go… The whole drop off was a trap."  
  
Cindy looked at Tommy slung over Jack's shoulder. "What happens to Tommy   
now…Do we just let him go?"  
  
Jack gave a sarcastic laugh. "Cindy we can't just let him go…Frank has some   
non-Federation world contacts…they pay good money for human slaves."  
  
"Slaves…you are selling him into slavery…He's just a little boy."  
  
"These people like their slaves young…they are easier to train."  
  
Cindy looked shocked. "Jack we can't do it…he has a family to go back to."  
  
Angrily he said, "The Admiral should of thought of that before he tried to trick   
us."  
  
As Tommy heard their conversation he struggled to free his hands until he heard   
Frank say in an aggravated voice. "You better stop squirming kid before I give you   
something to really cry about."  
  
Tommy felt some more tears fall down his cheeks. He was being sold into   
slavery. Tommy couldn't believe what he heard. He remembered learning about slavery   
in his history class but that was centuries ago. In the 24th century everyone was suppose   
to be free. He remembered visiting a number of alien worlds with his father, but none of   
them had slavery. Tommy was afraid to even think about where they were going to send   
him,  
  
Tommy heard the door slide open and felt fresh air on his face and he was put   
down on what felt like the floor of a shuttle. Jack turned to Cindy and said, "Cindy go   
into the building and make sure we didn't leave anything behind to identify   
ourselves…I'll warm up the shuttle…Frank wants to leave as soon as he gets back." Jack   
closed the shuttle's cargo door and watched as Cindy went into the building. He then   
went to the front of the shuttle and started warming it up.  
  
As soon as Cindy heard the engine start up she quietly walked out of the building   
and opened the cargo door of the shuttle. She closed the door behind her and walked up   
to where Tommy was sitting and said, "Tommy its Cindy…don't be scared. I'll get you   
out of here." Cindy kneeled down in front of Tommy and removed the blindfold. As the   
daylight hit Tommy's eyes he had to squint. It took a few seconds to be able to adjust his   
eyes after being in complete darkness for almost a full day. Tommy saw Cindy for the   
first time. She had blonde hair and blue eyes and she looked like an angel he saw in a   
picture padd he had when he was little. He watched as she removed his gag and then took   
a knife out of her right boot and started cutting away the ropes that bound his hands and   
his feet. After she was done with the knife she put it back in her boot.   
  
Tommy whispered, "Why are you doing this?"  
  
Cindy smiled at the boy. "I only agreed to help Frank and Jack to help my brother   
Bobby…I thought you wouldn't get hurt…I…"  
  
Tommy gave her a small smile. "I understand."  
  
Cindy smiled at him. "Let's get out of here." She held her hands out to Tommy   
who grabbed them as she pulled him up. His legs were very stiff and he could barely feel   
his hands but it felt good to be able to stand up.  
  
Cindy took a phaser out of her other boot and smiled at Tommy's surprised   
expression. "Bobby taught me to always be prepared. She pressed the button to open the   
cargo door and found Jack standing there pointing a phaser at them. He frowned, "Frank   
told me to keep an eye on you. Damn it…I knew you were getting too close to the kid,   
He held out his other hand. "Come on Cindy…don't make it any harder for you then it   
has to be…give me the phaser."  
  
Cindy reluctantly placed the phaser in Jack's hand. "What's going to happen   
now?"  
  
"We wait for Frank and then we sell you to the slavers too. You are very pretty   
Cindy…I'm sure we will get a good price for you."  
  
Tommy shouted, "You leave her alone."  
  
Jack laughed, "Hey kid…your going to be her savior…well your Daddy tried to   
trick us. Anything that happens to you and Cindy is all Admiral Paris's fault."  
  
Just then they saw the other shuttle land and Jack smiled. "Frank's back and with   
the dampening devices on each shuttle even if Starfleet was able to find us they couldn't   
beam anyone on or off the shuttles. He climbed up into the shuttle and turned to Tommy.   
"Come on kid, it's time to go."  
  
Tommy walked backwards in the shuttle until his back hit the wall. Jack snarled,   
"Come on Kid…don't make it any harder then it has to be." He grabbed Tommy by his   
right arm and pulled him towards him. Tommy tried to pull away but Jack was too strong   
for him.  
  
"Leave me alone," Tommy shouted.  
  
Frank pulled Tommy closer to him and then put his arm around Tommy's neck.   
He then turned to Cindy pointing his phaser at her. "Cindy it's time to go."  
  
Cindy started walking towards Frank but all of a sudden she tripped. Frank   
motioned her to get up with his phaser. All of a sudden a metallic object appeared in   
Cindy's right hand and she stabbed the knife in Frank's right hand. Frank yowled in pain.   
Tommy used the distraction to pull away from Frank's grip as Cindy pushed Frank   
through the cargo door and he landed on the ground. Cindy pressed the door controls to   
close.  
  
Cindy turned to Tommy. "Tommy…do you think you can fly us out of here."   
  
Tommy smiled. "You bet," and ran to the front of the shuttle.  
  
Cindy was about to join him but she heard phaser shouts hitting the shuttle   
causing it to shake. She heard Jack shouted, "Cindy let me in…we can make a deal. He'll   
let you go and just sell the kid."   
  
Ignoring the shouting Cindy ran to the front of the shuttle and sat in the co-pilot   
seat as she saw Tommy pressing the controls on the panel. Tommy turned to Cindy with   
a scared look on his face. "I have never flown by myself before."  
  
Cindy gave him a reassuring smile. "Tommy I know you can do it."  
  
Tommy turned back to the controls and pressed a panel and the shuttle started to   
lift off slowly. As the shuttle reached a higher altitude something rocked the shuttle.   
Tommy fell out of his seat but quickly climbed back into his chair. He turned to face   
Cindy who also had fallen. She quickly got up and said, "They are firing at us. Frank and   
Jack are not going to let us go that easily. I'd better call for help." She pressed the   
communication's device by the co-pilot's seat and said, "Shuttle to Starfleet…we are   
being attacked. Please come in."  
  
A male voice came over the line and said, "This is Starfleet Command. We've   
received your distress call. Please give us your coordinates."  
  
"Our coordinates are…" Just then the control panel blew up in Cindy's face and   
she fell to the ground.  
  
"Cindy," Tommy shouted.  
  
Cindy laid on the ground. Blood was pouring out from different parts of her body.   
She whispered, "Tommy keep flying."  
  
Tommy turned his tear-streaked back to the controls and kept flying. Phaser fire   
kept shaking the shuttle. Then Tommy realized he was only a few miles from the   
Starfleet Academy airfield. He knew if he could land there he and Cindy would be safe.  
  
Another shake almost sent Tommy flying from his seat but he held on tight. He   
saw the airfield and then a voice over the loud- speaker said, "Unidentified shuttle   
identify yourself. You are entering the Starfleet Academy airfield. You can't land without   
clearance."  
  
Tommy turned toward the burned out panel and pressed a button hoping his   
message would get through. "My name is Tommy Paris…I'm being chased by   
kidnappers…please let me land."  
  
The voice over the comm. sounded surprised. "Tommy Paris…your father has   
been worried sick. Just sit tight Tommy. We're sending help."  
  
Tommy turned towards Cindy who appeared to be asleep on the floor. "Cindy you   
hear that…help is coming."  
  
As two Starfleet shuttles ascended into the air, Frank and Jack fled in their shuttle.   
One shuttle chased after the kidnappers while the other shuttle flew protectively over   
Tommy's shuttle. Tommy heard a voice say, "Tommy this is Commander Linden. Do   
you think you can land the shuttle by yourself or do you want me to transport someone   
over to land it for you."  
  
"I can land it, Sir. But my friend Cindy needs a doctor."  
  
"Don't worry Tommy, we have a medic standing by. I'll follow you in."  
  
Five minutes later Tommy landed the shuttle. He pressed the button to open the   
door and then he bent down to look at Cindy. "Cindy we are safe. Please wake up."  
  
Cindy slowly opened her eyes and smiled at Tommy. "I knew… you could do it.   
Tommy I'm so glad you are safe…promise me one thing…no matter how messed up   
your life gets…promise me you will never give up."  
  
Tommy felt tears fall down his cheeks. "I promise."   
  
Cindy smiled at him again and then closed her eyes. Tommy shouted, "Cindy you   
can't die…Wake up…Wake up."  
  
Just then four men in Starfleet uniforms ran into the shuttle. One man dressed in a   
blue uniform held a medical tricorder. He waved it over Cindy's body and said, "I'm   
sorry son, she is dead."  
  
Tommy shouted "No" and was about to run out of the shuttle until a man with   
black hair and brown eyes grabbed him by the shoulders. "Tommy… it' okay …   
everything is going to be fine now. I'm commander Linden…remember we talked over   
the communicator."  
  
Tears were falling from Tommy's eyes as he turned to face the commander. "It's   
my fault…Cindy died because she tried to help me."  
  
"Tommy …it wasn't your fault."  
  
The medic walked over to Tommy and scanned him. "Son, we have to take you to   
the infirmary to check you out."  
  
Commander Linden smiled at Tommy. "Why don't you go with Ensign Mitchell.   
I'll call your parents. They will be here soon."  
  
Tommy looked at Cindy's body. "What's going to happen to Cindy?"  
  
Sympathetically Commander Linden said, "We'll take her to the morgue…Don't   
worry I'll make sure she has a proper burial."  
  
  
  
Tommy sat on the biobed in the infirmary and slowly rubbed his left wrist with   
his right hand. The doctor regenerated the skin that was rubbed off from the rope burns.   
His wrists still tingled from the treatment.   
  
The door to the room slid open and Owen and Maggie Paris came in. His mother   
ran to the biobed and hugged him tightly. It felt so good to feel safe in her arms again.   
She moved away from him and pushed his hair out of his eyes. "Tommy ….are you   
okay?"  
  
Tommy gave his mother a small smile. "I'm fine Mom."  
  
Tommy turned to face his father and saw him smiling at him. "Tommy….   
Commander Linden told us what happened. You were very brave. I am very proud of you   
son." He put his hand on Tommy's right shoulder and squeezed it gently. "I don't want   
you to worry about those men anymore. Starfleet caught them and they are going to   
spend a long time in a penal colony."  
  
"Dad, I couldn't save Cindy…she died helping me escape."  
  
Owen Paris looked at his son with a puzzled look on his face. "Tommy she was   
working with them. She deserved what she got."   
  
Tommy shouted, "No, she helped me….she gave me food and water. Cindy   
stopped them from selling me into slavery."  
  
Maggie Paris turned to her husband, "Owen…why don't you ask the Doctor if   
Tommy can leave. He had enough excitement. I just want to get him home."  
  
Owen gave his wife a perplexed look. "Okay…I'll be back in a few minutes."  
  
Tommy watched as his father left the room. He turned to face his mother.   
"Mom…she did save me. She wasn't a bad person…. Cindy just wanted to get her little   
brother out of a penal colony."  
  
Maggie smiled at her son. "I know honey…Cindy sounded like she was a good   
person who made some bad decisions…I'm just grateful she was there to help you. Your   
father is still very upset. He blames himself for what happened to you."  
  
Tommy put her head down and fought back some tears. "Dad says I was so   
brave…but I wasn't…I was so scared."  
  
Maggie Paris hugged her son. "Honey everybody gets scared. Sometimes fear is a   
good thing. It keeps you from taking unnecessary chances. Courage doesn't mean you   
don't have fears. It means you've learned to overcome them."  
  
Tommy hugged his mother. "Mom, I love you."  
  
Maggie smiled at her son. "I love you too Tommy."  
  
  
B'Elanna Torres smiled at her husband. "So that's where you got that speech you   
told me when we were held prisoner by the Vidiians."  
  
Tommy smiled. "B'Elanna most of my best lines are borrowed from other   
people."  
  
B'Elanna squeezed Tom's right hand. "Your Mom was right about Cindy…she   
was a good person who made some bad decisions but I know she would be proud of the   
way you turned your life around."  
  
"You know for about six months after the kidnapping my parents wouldn't let me   
go anywhere alone. Everywhere I went either one of them would accompany me or they   
would make sure one of my sisters went with me. When they finally started to let me go   
places without them I felt really great."  
  
B'Elanna smiled. "They were worried about you." She gently touched her   
stomach with her right hand. "Wait until our little girl is born. I bet you won't let her out   
of your sight."  
  
Tom put his hand on top of B'Elanna's hand. "Your right. Do you think the   
Captain will let me take her to the bridge with me."  
  
"I don't think so."  
  
"You know when I got a little older I checked the computer files to find out what   
happened to Cindy's brother…He was killed in a prison fight eight months after Cindy   
died."  
  
"What happened to Frank and Jack?"  
  
"They were both sentenced to 25 years in a maximum- security prison for   
kidnapping. You know they both probably out of jail be now…You know sometimes I   
wonder where I want to raise our baby. The Delta Quadrant is so dangerous…but I was   
kidnapped on Earth. She is not even born yet and I already love her with all my heart and   
soul. If anything ever happened to her I don't know what I'll do."  
  
"Tom no matter where we raise her there will always be dangers. All we can   
really do is give her a lot of love and support and don't push her."  
  
Tom smiled. "To become a Klingon warrior,"  
  
B'Elanna smirked. "Or to become a Starfleet Admiral. We will love her no matter   
what she decides to do."  
  
"B'Elanna what do you think of the name Cindy?"  
  
She smiled at her husband. "Put it on the list…Now come on Flyboy lets go back   
to bed…We both have early shifts tomorrow."  
  
Tom smiled at her and kissed her on the lips. "Yes ma'am."  
  
They walked back to their bedroom hand in hand.  
  
The End 


End file.
